Tag: AnimEigo

A Time of Eve is Set For Dec 10, 2024! Thankfully, That’s Not the Final Countdown.

Pardoning the pun, the timely release of a Time of Eve is very relevant to today’s concerns regarding the propagation of robots with enhanced artificial intelligence in the commonplace. This latest release includes both edits (original streaming and theatrical cut)

A Time of Eve Complete Collection Blu-Ray Cover
Available to pre-order directly from MediaOCD or Amazon USA

Release Date: December 10th.

A Time of Eve may well be a spiritual precursor to other movies where androids are everywhere. Some look ready to upset the status quo. And like those tales like Blade Runner or even I, Robot where action and theosophy are intertwined, here, two teenagers are curious about a message found in their robot’s memory banks. It is an invitation to a café–whose name is also that of this movie.

This story made waves back when it was streamed on Yahoo! Japan in 2008, and simulcast on Crunchyroll. Two years later, they released a regional home video version. An international theatrical release followed. Back then, the ramifications of AI being everywhere was not as big as it is now. It’s mostly about Skynet back then, and now, MedicOCD/AnimEigo aims to change all that with additional material in this North American release.

Continue reading “A Time of Eve is Set For Dec 10, 2024! Thankfully, That’s Not the Final Countdown.”

The Deets Are In for Time of Eve’s Home Video Release

Whether or not the themes explored in the anime Time of Eve is considered ahead of its time, fans can find out when this collection comes out!

Time of Eve Cover
Also available to preorder on Amazon USA

Release Date:
Dec 10, 2024

The challenge with artificial intelligence is that will the creators allow it to evolve and grow, and back when the anime Time of Eve first came out (2009), not everyone felt too concerned. Not everyone may have been aware about this web series; these days, the concern with what machines can do is cause for concern. There’s consequences, which many documentaries have explored, and the can of worms that various works of entertainment have opened up suggests many possible ways machines can go renegade!

Now, anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD are bringing this series for all to discuss and examine with the upcoming blu-ray release. That’s because there’s an all new featurette which may delve into the discourse too!

From the Press Release:

An auteur independent work from director Yasuhiro Yoshiura (Patema Inverted, Sing a Bit of Harmony), Time of Eve is a critical darling that won the 2010 Tokyo Anime Award for Original Video Animation. This new edition from AnimEigo contains the feature film version in English and Japanese, along with the original 6-episode web series from which it was assembled.

Time of Eve is set during a time when humanoid robots are everywhere, and every home has one as a servant. Some people treat them with contempt, while others become obsessed. One day, two high school boys stumble across a mysterious café that offers a third option: talk to them, free of prejudice, or even full knowledge of who’s a robot and who’s human. Shocked and rattled by the experience, the boys find themselves learning more about the world and themselves than they ever could have imagined.

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When Megazone 23 Gets an Explosive, Shiny Update!

The late 80s and 90s was a good time for anime and music to really shine. Megazone 23 may well be the best from this era and it’s getting released anew for fans to enjoy the trilogy as its meant to!

Megazone 23 Blu-rayRelease Date: November 12th.
Pre-order this title here.

Megazone 23 is a series that has a special place in my heart, and I’m very excited an updated collector’s edition is being released by Media OCD/AnimEigo. Not only was the soundtrack phenomenal, but also it paved the way to help make anime mainstream. The compositions scored by Shirō Sagisu still holds up today, and he’s better known for other series like Evangelion and Berserk.

Also, anyone who loves Mikimoto Haruhiko’s art will most likely say he was on his A-game during this era! That’s because a lot of his watercolour works were used to help promote many a series. From Macross to Gunbuster, his style had a quality which is beautiful to look at.

Production-wise, this series created by Noboru Ishiguro and Hiroyuki Hoshiyama (Artland/Tatsunoko) has lots to like. I believe it was the first to introduce virtual idols to the cyberpunk anime genre, and in North America, Carl Macek took notice. He spliced bits and pieces of this series to create Robotech the Movie. That was not as well received as the original. Continue reading “When Megazone 23 Gets an Explosive, Shiny Update!”

Everything Bubblegum is Back with The Complete Archive and Bubblegum Crash! Remastered through MediaOCD

Fans hoping to collect everything Bubblegum Crisis related don’t need to Bubblegum Crash with this update on upcoming releases this year and next.

Bubblegum Crash Cover ArtOne great thing that’s been consistent ever since MediaOCD  brought AnimEigo into its fold is that fans who missed crowdfunding fond this smaller company’s anime classics is that they’re bringing them back for the masses! This time, Bubblegum Crash is getting a revamped and remastered upgrade that’s sure to say that interest in this series is not being forgotten. This release is set for January 21, 2025.

The timing is terrific because in Oct will be Bubblegum Crisis: Complete Archive Art Book (Amazon link). This collection compiled by Jason Hofius features concept art, model sheets, key visuals, poster art, special magazine artwork and a lot more!

There’s lots to love about this series created by Toshimichi Suzuki, and while news of whether there will ever be a live-action version, that will still take time to gestate. The cinematic movie magic technology is here to make it good, but ultimately it’s up to the creators and Artmic to say yes to moving forward. I suspect the reason everything has stalled is due to not finding a major studio to help produce.

Riding Bean or Bean Bandit, The Difference is in What Kenichi Sonoda Says is Official.

Barack Obama once said, “Let me tell your something. I’m from Chicago. I don’t break.” But we’re betting he never saw the anime, Riding Bean. We also offer the latest news concerning the Japanese release, Bean Bandit.

Riding Bean Blu-rayRelease Date: Sept 10, 2024
Available to Purchase on Amazon USA or direct through MediaOCD

Technically, the only thing new in the re-release of Riding Bean is the interview with creator Kenichi Sonada. What he offers are some anecdotes regarding what inspired him to make the anime, and subsequent manga sequel, and he also shares what he loved back then, which he brought over to this series. For example, he talked about I Dream of Jeanie and also Terminator. I won’t give away the deets, but upon checking out this bonus video first, and this short film again, I agree about the latter’s influence. As for the former, that was a “Really?” moment.

Although Sonada-san didn’t say much regarding who he was drawing from for Percy, the police commissioner who is after Bean, I’m guessing he takes after Edward Rooney (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) along with Walter Peck (Ghostbusters). They share similiar manic characteristics! He’s why I love this short film so much.

Continue reading “Riding Bean or Bean Bandit, The Difference is in What Kenichi Sonoda Says is Official.”

Look Out Chicago! Sorting Out All The Latest Gunsmith Cats and Riding Bean News

Fans of 90s anime will be thrilled to learn there’s rereleases of two of Kenichi Sonoda’s most recognised classics, Riding Bean and Gunsmith Cats! And we have the details on what’s offered on print and video!

Gunsmith Cats Omnibus Volume 1Dark Horse Comics & AnimEigo
Release Date: Feb, 2025

The Gunsmith Cats are coming back in an omnibus collection from Dark Horse Manga! For newcomers, what’s offered is sure to please. Past editions are long out of print, and as much as I’d love to see brand-new stories happen, it’s not looking likely. Everything depends on what creator Kenichi Sonoda wants to do, especially following his attempts to reboot Bean Bandit / Riding Bean.

But for his most beloved series starring two bounty hunters, this edition collects:

  • Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition vol. 1 (2007) [entire volume]
  • Gunsmith Cats Revised Edition vol. 2 (2007) [p. 1-134]

or the equivelent of:

  • Gunsmith Cats vol. 1: Bonnie & Clyde (1996)
  • Gunsmith Cats vol. 2: Misfire (1997)
  • Gunsmith Cats vol. 3: The Return of Gray (1998)

The release date for Gunsmith Cats Omnibus Volume 2 has not been announced, but it’s safe to assume that it will be next year or later in 2025.

Continue reading “Look Out Chicago! Sorting Out All The Latest Gunsmith Cats and Riding Bean News”